Fiera della Polenta 2026, Vigasio, Italy

• October 15, 2026
  Event date:
• November 8, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

Fiera della Polenta 2026 returns to Vigasio, near Verona, for a major celebration of polenta, traditional Veneto cuisine, local agriculture, music and community entertainment. The 28th edition runs from October 15 to November 8, transforming the town’s fairgrounds into a large gastronomic and entertainment complex.

The festival is centred on polenta produced from locally grown Vigasio corn. The organisers describe the local maize as an important part of the event’s identity, with the grain used to prepare the many polenta dishes served throughout the fair.

The 2026 edition is expected to feature more than 100 dishes covering traditional polenta recipes, pasta, risotto, meat, fish, pizza, vegetarian options and desserts. The official menu includes both classic regional combinations and more unusual preparations featuring game meat, truffles, seafood and local cheeses.

Food is only one part of the experience. The festival also includes concerts, theatre performances, cultural activities, family entertainment, exhibitions, gatherings and other community events. Admission to the entertainment programme has traditionally been free.

The fair is organised around large covered structures, making it possible to enjoy the food programme even during the cooler autumn weather.

Event dates

Fiera della Polenta 2026 takes place from October 15 to November 8, 2026 in Vigasio, Verona.

The official opening hours are:

• Monday to Friday: 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM
• Saturday and Sunday: 12:00 PM to 11:30 PM

The kitchens operate during the same general evening period on weekdays and provide lunch and dinner service during weekends and holidays.

The extended three-week programme allows visitors to choose between quieter weekday evenings and busier weekends with more entertainment and family activities.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & festival site

The festival takes place at the Fiera della Polenta fairgrounds on Via Alzeri in Vigasio, Verona.

The site is organised around a series of large covered structures and food areas. Previous editions have used five large marquees capable of accommodating thousands of visitors, with multiple kitchens operating simultaneously.

The main areas include:

• PalaSpettacoli: Main entertainment venue for concerts, shows, competitions and other stage events.
• Gastronomic areas: Multiple kitchens serving the extensive polenta-based menu.
• Sala 4: Used for selected restaurant-style dinners and special culinary evenings.
• Via Alzeri: Main access area and location associated with the exhibition and market activity.
• Exhibition and market areas: Spaces for local businesses, producers, associations and commercial exhibitors.

The covered layout gives the event a substantial indoor atmosphere while maintaining the character of a traditional local fair.

Full food & drink programme

The gastronomic programme is the central feature of the Fiera della Polenta, with the official menu offering an exceptionally broad selection.

First courses

The current menu includes numerous pasta, gnocchi, risotto and seafood dishes, including:

• Bigoli with porcini mushrooms
• Bigoli with duck
• Bigoli with Gorgonzola and truffle
• Bigoli with hare
• Bigoli with mouflon
• Bigoli with donkey meat
• Corn gnocchi with Lessinia cheeses
• Corn gnocchi with Gorgonzola and cream
• Corn gnocchi with meat ragù
• Mountain gnocchi with butter, sage and smoked ricotta
• Potato and corn gnocchi with seafood
• Gnocchi with tastasal and Grana
• Lasagnette with rabbit
• Maccheroncini with venison
• Maccheroncini with donkey ragù
• Maccheroncini with duck ragù
• Maccheroncini with Bolognese ragù
• Fish paella
• Paccheri with seafood
• Pappardelle with duck
• Pappardelle with wild boar
• Ravioli with cod and Mediterranean sauce
• Risotto with Amarone and Monte Mezzano cheese
• Risotto alla Vigasiana
• Risotto with mushrooms, apples and speck
• Risotto with radicchio and Monte Veronese
• Pumpkin, sausage and pecorino risotto
• Handmade tortellini from Valeggio
• Handmade tortelli filled with polenta and sausage
• Handmade tortelli filled with polenta and Gorgonzola

Main courses

Many second courses are served with polenta and include meat, fish, poultry, game and vegetarian choices.

Highlights include:

• Vicenza-style salted cod
• Mixed grilled meat
• Lamb skewers
• Pork ribs
• Venetian-style liver
• Mixed cheeses
• Mixed fried fish
• Pork cheek with Valpolicella
• Goulash
• Pastisada de caval
• Chicken curry
• Spicy chicken with peppers and onions
• Polenta with wild boar
• Polenta with mushrooms and Grana
• Polenta with tastasal and Monte Veronese
• Polenta with pike in sauce
• Polenta with cuttlefish
• Polenta with herring
• Polenta with creamed cod
• Beef meatballs with Amarone sauce
• Pulled pork with beer and vegetables
• Roast chicken thighs
• Venison and roe deer stew
• Mouflon stew
• Donkey stew
• Beef with porcini and truffle
• Pork shank
• Beef strips with mushrooms and Monte Veronese
• Vulcano di Polenta

Pizza

The fair also offers an extensive pizza selection, including Margherita, Capricciosa, Diavola, Parmigiana, Vegetarian, Tartufata, Tonno e Cipolla, Vigasio, Montanara, Speziata and other speciality pizzas.

Desserts

The pastry selection includes Amor di Polenta, Sbrisolona, Tiramisu, Profiteroles, chocolate desserts, cheesecake, semifreddo, millefoglie di mais, ricotta and fig tart, Zaletti biscuits and other individual desserts.

The full menu is available through the official festival website and app.

Featured foods & specialties

The defining speciality is Polenta di Vigasio, prepared using locally grown maize from the Vigasio area.

Some of the most distinctive combinations include:

• Polenta e baccalà: Polenta paired with cod prepared in the Veneto tradition.
• Polenta e cinghiale: Polenta served with wild boar.
• Polenta e luccio: Polenta accompanied by pike in sauce.
• Polenta tastasal e Monte Veronese: A rich local combination of sausage-style tastasal and regional cheese.
• Polenta funghi e Grana: Polenta with mushrooms and Grana cheese.
• Polenta con crema di formaggi al tartufo: Polenta with a truffle cheese cream.
• Pastisada de caval: A traditional Veronese horse-meat stew served with polenta.
• Risotto alla Vigasiana: A local-style risotto representing the culinary identity of the town.
• Tortellini di Valeggio: Handmade pasta from nearby Valeggio.
• Bigoli all’anara: Traditional thick pasta with duck.
• Vulcano di Polenta: A substantial polenta dish combining tomato sauce, porcini mushrooms, pancetta and Monte Veronese cheese.

The menu also includes seafood, grilled meats, game, pizza, vegetarian dishes and a large pastry selection, making the fair suitable for visitors with different food preferences.

Restaurants, vendors & producers

The gastronomic operation is built around multiple kitchens rather than a single restaurant.

Previous editions have used 12 kitchens serving more than 130 different dishes, while five large marquees provide the capacity needed for the high visitor numbers. The 2026 menu continues this broad multi-kitchen approach.

The festival also works with local restaurants, food associations, producers and wine organisations for special culinary evenings.

Past themed dinners have involved restaurants and organisations including:

• Ristorante Al Bersagliere
• Associazione Macellai Veronesi
• Ristorante Al Calmiere
• Verona Antica
• Strada del Vino Soave
• Local agriturismi and wine producers

These special dinners typically combine several courses with selected wines and focus on particular regional ingredients or culinary traditions.

The festival also promotes local maize products, including bags of locally milled polenta flour produced from the same type of maize used for the dishes served at the fair.

Wine, beer & beverage selection

The beverage programme is designed around the food of the Veneto and surrounding wine-producing areas.

Visitors can expect wines suitable for pairing with:

• Polenta and game
• Beef and pork dishes
• Fish and seafood
• Regional cheeses
• Risotto
• Traditional Veronese cuisine

The festival’s themed dinners have previously featured wines from producers in the Soave and Valpolicella areas, including Valpolicella Classico Superiore and Recioto-related pairings.

Beer is also part of the festival environment, particularly during entertainment-focused evenings. Previous editions have included special beer events pairing traditional dishes such as pork ribs, pork shank, chicken or goulash with beer.

Non-alcoholic drinks and standard refreshments are also available throughout the food areas.

Tastings, cooking demos & workshops

Fiera della Polenta is primarily a large food fair rather than a formal cooking-class festival, but it incorporates culinary demonstrations, themed dinners and educational activities into its programme.

The festival experience can include:

• Themed dinners: Multi-course meals prepared in collaboration with restaurants and culinary organisations.
• Wine and food pairings: Special evenings combining regional dishes with wines from Veneto producers.
• Traditional food presentations: Activities focused on polenta and regional agricultural products.
• Children’s activities: Family-oriented events and educational entertainment.
• Cultural programmes: Talks, demonstrations and community activities.
• School programmes: Previous editions have included events involving local schools.
• Food-focused exhibitions: Activities connected with the history and production of local foods.

The festival’s app also allows visitors to browse the menu in advance and select dishes before reaching the dedicated checkout area, helping reduce ordering time at busy periods.

Ticket types & entry options

General admission to Fiera della Polenta and its entertainment programme is free.

Visitors pay separately for food, drinks and selected special culinary experiences.

For previous-edition reference pricing, the festival’s themed dinners were generally around $40.11 per person for a multi-course meal with wine pairings. The festival has also previously offered simple work lunches at approximately $12.61 for a first course, $14.90 for a second course, or $17.19 for a complete menu.

These are previous-edition reference prices and should not be treated as confirmed 2026 prices.

The standard festival model is therefore:

• General festival entry: Free
• Entertainment and shows: Generally free
• Food: Purchased separately
• Drinks: Purchased separately
• Special themed dinners: Reservation and separate payment may apply
• Other special activities: Conditions vary by event

Previous official programmes explicitly state that festival events were free admission.

VIP & premium experiences

Fiera della Polenta does not operate primarily as a VIP festival and does not currently advertise a conventional VIP pass.

The closest premium experiences are the reserved culinary evenings and special restaurant events.

These can provide:

• Multi-course menus
• Wine pairings
• Reserved seating
• Restaurant participation
• Special regional ingredients
• Smaller-format culinary experiences compared with the large public food halls

The themed dinners historically offered complete menus with wine included, with previous editions pricing these experiences at approximately $40.11 per person.

Any dedicated 2026 premium packages or reserved culinary events should be confirmed through the official programme.

Event rules

Visitors should follow the instructions of festival staff and the individual event organisers.

Important practical points include:

• General festival access is free, but food and drinks must be purchased separately.
• The food service operates according to the published kitchen opening hours.
• Special dinners may require advance reservations.
• Visitors should keep receipts or payment confirmations where relevant.
• Children should remain supervised by their accompanying adults.
• Alcohol should be consumed responsibly.
• Visitors should follow staff instructions inside the marquees and entertainment areas.
• Event schedules can change because of organisational or operational requirements.
• Outdoor activities and special events may be affected by weather.
• Visitors should use designated parking areas and follow temporary traffic restrictions.

The official programme and festival staff should be treated as the final authority on individual event arrangements.

How to get there

Vigasio is located south of Verona in the Veneto region.

By car

Driving is one of the most convenient ways to reach the festival, particularly for visitors arriving from Verona, Mantua, Brescia or other parts of northern Italy.

Vigasio is connected to the road network surrounding Verona, making the festival accessible from the A4 and A22 motorway systems.

From Verona

Vigasio is approximately 15–20 kilometres south of central Verona, depending on the route. The drive is generally straightforward and makes Verona a convenient base for visitors staying in the city.

From other cities

Visitors travelling from Milan, Venice, Bologna or the Lake Garda area can reach Vigasio using the regional motorway and road network before continuing toward the town centre and festival grounds.

Public transport & parking

Public transport connections are available from the surrounding Verona area, although visitors should check current local bus timetables before travelling because evening services can be more limited.

For visitors arriving by train, Verona Porta Nuova is the main railway hub and can be used as the starting point for the onward journey to Vigasio.

Because the festival attracts very large visitor numbers, driving visitors should allow extra time for parking.

The festival has historically provided dedicated parking areas close to the fairgrounds. Previous official programmes specifically identified parking areas serving the Fiera della Polenta site.

On the busiest weekend evenings, arriving early is advisable, especially if the main purpose of the visit is dinner rather than simply attending the entertainment programme.

Accommodation areas

Vigasio

Staying directly in Vigasio provides the easiest access to the fairgrounds and avoids the need for late-night driving after dinner or drinks.

Verona

Verona is the most convenient larger-city base for visitors who want a wider choice of hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions while remaining relatively close to Vigasio.

Villafranca di Verona

Villafranca provides another practical accommodation option between Verona and the festival area, with hotels and transport connections.

Mantua

Visitors planning a broader northern Italy itinerary can also consider Mantua, particularly if combining the festival with cultural tourism in Lombardy.

Lake Garda

Visitors staying around the southern or eastern side of Lake Garda can combine the fair with a wider Veneto and Garda holiday, although driving to Vigasio will be necessary.

Food & drink

Food is the central attraction at Fiera della Polenta, and the range extends far beyond polenta alone.

The 2026 menu includes numerous first courses, second courses, pizzas, side dishes and desserts. Visitors can build a complete meal around local polenta or explore other dishes such as bigoli, risotto, tortellini, seafood and grilled meat.

Regional highlights include polenta and cod, pastisada de caval, risotto alla Vigasiana, handmade tortellini from Valeggio, bigoli with duck, polenta with wild boar, pike with polenta and Monte Veronese cheese.

The pizza menu is unusually extensive for a traditional food fair and includes several recipes using local or regional ingredients.

Desserts range from traditional corn-based sweets such as Amor di Polenta, Sbrisolona and Zaletti to cheesecake, tiramisu, profiteroles and chocolate-based desserts.

The organisers state that the 2026 edition will feature more than a hundred dishes, continuing the fair’s reputation for variety.

Accessibility

The festival takes place primarily inside large covered marquees and established fairground areas, providing protection from autumn weather and making the main dining areas relatively straightforward to navigate.

Visitors with mobility requirements should contact the organisers before travelling to confirm current arrangements for accessible entrances, toilets, seating and parking.

The large visitor numbers can make the busiest evening periods more challenging for visitors who require additional space or easier movement.

Arriving earlier in the evening, particularly on weekdays, can provide a calmer environment for navigating the food areas.

Visitors with specific dietary requirements should review the detailed menu or contact the organisers before ordering, as the menu contains numerous meat, dairy, fish, gluten and other ingredients.

Best days to attend

Weekday evenings: A practical choice for visitors who mainly want to eat without the largest weekend crowds. The kitchens operate throughout the evening from 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM.

Saturday: Offers both lunch and dinner service and generally provides a broader atmosphere of entertainment and family activity.

Sunday: Particularly suitable for visitors who want to combine a full meal with daytime events, children’s activities and community programming.

Opening period: The first days provide an opportunity to experience the festival soon after opening and explore the food programme over a less-established crowd pattern.

Final weekend: The closing weekend usually combines strong food service with entertainment and special activities.

For visitors travelling specifically for the food, a weekday evening can make it easier to explore the extensive menu at a more relaxed pace.

Previous year’s highlights

The 2025 edition was the 27th Fiera della Polenta and attracted approximately 130,000 visitors, according to the organisers. Around 325 quintals of polenta were served during the event.

The 2025 festival operated five large marquees with capacity for up to approximately 4,500 visitors per evening and 12 kitchens preparing more than 130 dishes.

The menu included traditional dishes such as pastisada de caval, polenta and cod, fried fish, risotto alla Vigasiana, handmade Valeggio tortellini, bigoli with duck and grilled meats.

Newer dishes introduced in recent editions included paella, beef in oil, chicken specialities, meatballs with Amarone sauce, maccheroncini with tastasal, creamed cod and pike in sauce.

The 2025 entertainment programme included theatre, live music, children’s activities, a drift show, a talent competition, dance performances, a Motopolenta motorcycle gathering and the musical “Una Donna da Sposare!” inspired by ABBA songs.

Official tickets

Fiera della Polenta is primarily a free-admission food and entertainment festival rather than a ticketed event.

Visitors do not normally need to purchase a general admission ticket to enter the fairgrounds or watch the regular entertainment programme.

Food, beverages and selected special dinners are paid separately. The official festival app can be used to browse the menu and select dishes before arriving at the checkout, where visitors can use the generated QR code to speed up the ordering process.

The official website is:

Home

Visitors should check the official website and app before travelling for the latest 2026 programme, menu, special dinners, entertainment schedule and any changes to opening arrangements.

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